The invention concerns an automatic microfluidic processor with integrated active elements.
In (bio)chemical, pharmaceutical, and biomedical industry there is a growing need with respect to miniaturizing fluidic process technology. This desire is fulfilled by microfluidic devices. When these devices by function integration realize more or less complex biological, biochemical or chemical processes, they are referred to as microfluidic processors or also “labs on a chip” (LOC), chip labs or “micro total analysis systems (μTAS).
The LOC concept offers multiple advantages. The reduction of fluid volumes enables analysis of smallest sample quantities and a frugal use of reagents and samples that are often precious, rare, harmful or dangerous. In this way, also higher throughput rates are possible because, as a result of the minimal quantities, shortened preparation time, mixing time, and reaction time are required while the energy consumption is minimized. As a result of reduced system response times, process control can also be facilitated.
As a whole, the LOC configurations enable important process rationalizations in that they significantly shorten the processing time and therefore increase the possible throughput and decrease the quantities of required media (probands, analytes, agents, auxiliaries). Moreover, they should enable even non-experts to perform complex examinations, in order to, for example, provide policemen, general practitioners or controlling agencies e.g. food inspectors with quick access to important results.
Despite the apparent advantages, real LOC applications are available only in exceptional cases. The reasons are primarily of economic nature because the rationalizations do not outweigh the excess technological expenditure. In order to achieve economic efficiency, it must be analyzed which partial processes possess the appropriate rationalization potential.